1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to support and securing systems for vehicles and, more specifically, to seat assembly support and securing systems for use with vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicles are widely used in a number of different industries and for a variety of different purposes. Military vehicles, for example, are frequently used for transporting personnel, entering combat areas, patrolling, etc. It will be appreciated that these vehicles may be exposed to energy resulting from detonation of an explosive, whereby forces are subsequently transferred through the vehicle to the occupants, and high impulses through the vehicle can injure the occupants.
It is well known in the related art for military vehicles to be outfitted with armor so as to shield and help protect the vehicle occupants from injury during an explosion. However, the armor is designed to remain rigid during a blast so as to deflect energy and preserve the structural integrity of the vehicle, in particular the portions of the vehicle housing the occupants. Unlike civilian automotive passenger vehicles, which are designed to collapse in predetermined ways so as to absorb impact forces resulting from an automobile crash, the rigid armor on armored military vehicles does not crush and, thus, does not absorb significant amounts energy. As such, while the armor protects the occupants by maintaining structural rigidity of the vehicle, the rigid armor does not deform to absorb energy and, thus, high impulse passes through the vehicle. This high impulse through the vehicle can injure the occupants. For example, if the explosion originates below the military vehicle, an energy show wave can transfer through the floor of the vehicle, whereby the occupant may be harmed if the energy shock wave is transferred directly to the occupant through the vehicle's floor and/or seat(s).
In addition to generating initial forces acting on the vehicle, explosions can also cause the vehicle to become airborne, whereby occupants can also suffer injuries when the vehicle subsequently lands on the ground (commonly referred to in the art as “slam down”). Moreover, armored military vehicles are typically configured so as to optimize available interior space to efficiently accommodate and transport as many personnel and as much equipment as is possible. As such, seats and restraint/safety systems used for accommodating and securing personnel in military vehicle applications are frequently spaced, configured, or otherwise oriented in ways that are incompatible with various conventional civilian automotive safety technology.
For the forgoing reasons, there remains a need in the art for technology that can secure and restrain occupants of armored vehicles in a safe and space-efficient way while, at the same time, providing opportunities for enhances occupant safety by absorbing energy generated by explosions.